2011 Bi-Regional Conference Session Descriptions
Advising Scandals on Campus (ISSS)
Tri Valley University, Cal State Northridge, Professors acting “scandalously” by requesting I-20s for so called “students”/ What happened? How to address it and how to handle your administration and perhaps campus police. Join DSOs and the attorney who investigated and discovered corruption on campus and worked with the administration in putting out the “fire” on campus.
Chair: Adam Green, Immigration Attorney, Law Offices of Adam Green
Presenters: Bob Chudy, Director, UCLA
What International Student and Scholar Offices Should Know About Taxes (ISSS)
Like it or not, International Student Advisors need to have basic understanding of the tax issues international students and scholars face in complying with their presence in the US. This session specifically discusses what you should do- and should not do-when providing any tax information. We also discuss the IRS’ new audit program of foreign students and what guidance you can provide if a student is selected for an IRS audit under the new program.
Chair/Presenter: Donna Kepley, President, Arctic International, LLC
Work on Edge: Student and Scholar Tricky Employment Issues (ISSS)
When is working “employment” and when is it not? This session will seek to answer all the tricky questions posed by students and scholars that fall outside the ambit of normally authorized employment: volunteering, self employment, investment, starting a business, selling their own services or products, receiving royalties, working for an employer abroad from the US and of course, “helping”. Case studies will be extensively utilized.
Chair: David A. M. Ware, Attorney at Law, David Ware & Associates
Presenter: Christy Babcock, Associate Director, International Student Services, Boise State University
Permanent Resident Basics for Student and Scholar Advising (ISSS)
This session covers the basic issues student and scholar advisors need to keep in mind when questions come up regarding permanent residence: dispelling permanent residence myths, the basic pathways for both students and scholars, ie, family, employment, investment, asylum, diversity lottery, and removal proceedings; and other related tricky issues, such as maintenance of status while applying, deciphering the Visa Bulletin, “dead end” courses of study, and qualifying for in state tuition.
Chair: Tammi Johnson, Coordinator, International Student, Scholar and Faculty Services, University of Idaho
Presenter: David A. M. Ware, Attorney at Law, David Ware & Associates
An update of Current Regulations on Travel to Cuba and What Nuances Exist in Building a Study Abroad Program in Cuba (EA)
What is the effect of the new regulations announced in April 2011 toward study abroad programs from the United States to Cuba? What type of educational programs qualify to Travel to Cuba? How is travel to Cuba under the educational exception easier now? What are the benefits of Travel Study programs to Cuba? What are challenges to Study Abroad programs in Cuba? Where are these academic programs established? Where are the students housed? What are other ideas of new programs that are now possible? These and many other questions are answered in this session about studying in Cuba.
Chair: Paul Bardwil, President, Global Educational Facilitation
Presenters: Tony White, Professor of Latin American Studies, Sonoma State University
Jorge Santana, Professor of Spanish, Sacramento State University
Be Cool, Be Global, Be Intelligent, Be a part of it… (ISSS, IEL)
Riverside City College International Club and the Center for International Students and Programs work towards a mutual goal of creating a global campus. This session includes information about a newly established mentor program for international visa students. We also discuss how we overcome challenges we experience as a two-year institution such as the high turnover rate of club members.
Chair: Aya Saito, International Students and Programs Specialist / International Club Advisor, Riverside City College
Presenters: Riverside City College International Club Members
The 21st Century International and Multicultural Nexus (ISSS, IEL)
The western states have robustly diverse student communities. Since the l970’s efforts have been made to bridge the cross-cultural stream of backgrounds of our domestic and foreign populations. There have been some successes, some failures. The dialog continues out of attempts to improve campus climate, as well as capitalize on the global learning which can result from intentional administrative structures and creative partnerships with campus and civic organizations. Discussion also highlights American Council on Education Initiatives.Community college colleagues will be particularly well informed from the presentation of the Modesto Junior College model.
Chair: Diane E. Elton, IEL Representative, Region XII, Diversity Abroad Network Advisory Committee
Panelists: Barbara St. Urbain, Coordinator, International. Student Program, Modesto Junior College
Sarah Ross, Director of International Education, UCSD
Creating a Crisis Management Plan for Your Program (ISSS, EA, IEL)
On March 11th many of us turned on the news to hear about one of the largest natural disasters to hit Japan in recorded history. What was your first thought about your Japanese students studying here in the States? Did you have processes in place for your students? Emergency contacts ready? This interactive presentation will allow participants to discuss real situations from medical emergencies to natural disasters, and how their staff and instructors reacted. Following the discussion, the presenters will provide aspects to remember and steps on how to establish a standardized crisis plan.
Chair: Mackenzie Bristow, Center Director, ELS Language Centers/La Verne
Presenter: Ashlee Milby, Center Director, ELS Language Centers/Thousand Oaks
Best Practices for Working with Sponsored Students: from A to Z (ISSS, RAP, SPA-Sponsoring Progr. Administr.)
This session explores effective practices for working with sponsored students and their managing agencies from recruitment, admissions, ESL, advising, and financial views. Presenters share experiences from their institutions and encourage participants to contribute insight.
Chair: Denise Keeton, Program Support Supervisor, Office of International Students & Scholars (OISS), Washington State University
Presenters: Emily Pacheco, Academic Manager, Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE)
Megan Goold, Student Services and Immigration Advisor, University of Arizona, Center for English as a Second Language (CESL)
Student Learning Outcomes: A Primer for ISSS Offices (ISSS, EA, TLS)
An introduction to Student Learning Outcomes (SLO's) for International Student and Scholar professionals. Accreditation agencies throughout the U.S. are requiring colleges and universities to provide metrics to justify the value-added outcomes of services provided to students. Models of applied research in ISSS will be presented from the community college, state university, and private university settings. This session will help ISSS professional prepare useful metrics for daily use, or for when accreditation agencies come to campus.
Chair: Edwin Cahill, Assistant Director, Office of International Student Services, Pepperdine University
Presenters: Lay Tuan Tan, Director, International Education & Exchange, CSU, Fullerton
Tammy Silver, Director, International Center, College of Southern Nevada
Kathryn Morrissey, Study Abroad Advisor, CSU Fullerton
Research in International Education: Methods, Models, and Impacts (IEL, Pan-NAFSA,TLS)
International educators are frequently asked to demonstrate results. This highly interactive session provides all attendees with concrete ideas for conducting international education research related to student learning outcomes and suggestions for how to effectively demonstrate and apply results to department, divisional or institutional goals. Attendees at this session will learn about research models from practitioner researchers. Presenters share their methodologies for conducting formative and summative assessments that relate to international and study abroad students. Session attendees will then engage in a facilitated discussion of gaps in international education research, and link these topics to promising research methods. To support these ideas the presenters share tools and resources that international educators can access as they conduct and disseminate research. Finally, the presenters discuss opportunities for influencing practice, policy, and leadership with data from empirical research.
Chair: David Wick, Coordinator of Study Abroad Services, San Francisco State University
Presenters: Lisa Loberg, Director of Study Abroad, California Lutheran University
Katie Roller, Director of International Study, Marymount College
Maria D. Flores, Associate Director, Saint Mary's College of California
"Executive Summary" ESL Student Orientation (ISSS, IEL, ESL)
ESL students come to the US with varying degrees of jet-lag, culture shock and English proficiency. "Executive Summary" ESL Student Orientation provides methods of rapidly orienting these students to minimize their stress and maximize their retention of critical facts. We will discuss selection, preparation, and delivery of orientation content. I will also share our approaches to handbooks, tours, and staff introduction.
Chair/Presenter: Michael Q. Larson, Center Director, ELS Language Centers/Santa Barbara
Language in Motion: Facilitating Study Abroad Re-entry Through A Community Program (ISSS, EA)
Willamette University is utilizing the Language in Motion (LiM) program to send study abroad-returnees and international students into the local public schools to share language and culture. The inclusion of study abroad returnees in the program has helped ease re-entry issues and given students an outlet to share their experiences, and a chance to interact specifically around language and culture topics with international students while serving as role models for K-12 students. Many campuses send international students into the schools, but we think it unique to include s/a returnees. The LiM program originated at Juniata College in Pennsylvania, and the consortium includes 11 schools from throughout the U.S., though Willamette University is the only partner on the west coast. Because the model is highly flexible while maintaining core elements, we hope to inspire people to consider joining the LiM consortium, and offering a similar opportunity to their own returnee and international student populations. Session presenters include LiM staff from Willamette University, Juniata College (Huntingdon, PA), and Iowa State University (Ames, IA).
Chair: Chris Andresen, Associate Director, Office of International Education, Willamette University
Presenters: Nomi Pearce, LiM Coordinator, Willamette University
Deborah Roney, Director LiM, Assistant Professor of English, Juniata College (Huntingdon, PA),
Julie Wilhelm, Lecturer, Iowa State University (Ames, IA)
What’s in a Name? Learn Pinyin So You Can Correctly Pronounce Chinese Names (ISSS, TLS, Pan-NAFSA)
Sure, you can guess how to pronounce Wang Peng – but how do you pronounce Xie Zhiguo? As Chinese students make up a large portion of the international student populations we serve, it is worthwhile to spend a little time learning how to actually pronounce their names. If a Mandarin name is pronounced correctly by a speaker, then the listener who knows Pinyin will know exactly how to spell their name. Pinyin is consistent and methodical – unlike say... English! It takes a little time and effort, but once you learn it you will be able to confidently and correctly address your Chinese students, scholars and overseas partners by their actual names - not the one you make up for them. Or, you can just keep guessing… Why not learn a valuable new skill that will help you connect more deeply with Chinese individuals and make it easier to identify them in any situation? (Study materials will be provided.)
Chair: Fred Polinder, SEVIS Coordinator/International Student Advisor, Western Oregon University
U.S. Government Initiatives to Promote U.S. Higher Education Overseas (RAP, IEL)
The U.S. Commercial Service, a division of the U.S. Department of Commerce, has a variety of programs
that assist educational institutions and intensive English programs with their international recruitment efforts. These educational organizations have access to U.S. Commercial Officers and International Trade Specialists in more than 80 countries as well as our local offices in the U.S.
In many countries, the U.S. Commercial Service has an education specialist who can assist institutions with locating agents, meeting high school guidance or university counselors, and potential partner universities. These specialists can also lead organizations to private companies that may need executive education or specialized training for their employees. From arranging seminars and networking receptions at U.S. Embassies for an institution’s alumni or prospective partners to leading high level education missions and producing customized market research reports, this agency’s programs are flexible to meet an individual school’s international recruitment budget and strategic plan.
The U.S. Commercial Service’s Education Team consists of individuals, across the U.S. and overseas, who work with a large number of clients in this industry. This session’s presentation will cite examples of best practices for educational institutions that have used this agency’s various programs for international student recruitment. Additionally, attendees will be briefed on resources available from the U.S. State Department’s Education USA Advising Centers located worldwide.
Chair/Presenter: Gabriela Zelaya, International Trade Specialist, U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Commercial Service
Generational Differences: A Global Perspective (RAP)
Claiming that “millennials are millennials” wherever they are in the world is like casually saying that “customers are customers” anywhere in the world. The differences that Americans have used to distinguish between generations cannot be applied globally, since different countries have their own significant events that have influenced their population. For example, in Japan, seven generational cohorts have developed since the end of World War II that cannot be aligned with the Boomers, Gen X and Gen Y, their contemporaries in the West. This session explores some of the notable generational differences globally, and what implications they have on international educators for both recruiting and educating international students.
Chair/Presenter: Aimee Akimoff, Director of Recruitment, Willamette University MBA
How do international students find your school online? (RAP)
Using research based on the online behavior of 8 million international students searches looking to study abroad, this session looks at the trends of international students searching online. How does this vary by country (using analysis of over 21 countries/regions around the world), by subject, and qualification? How important are peer to peer student recommendations, reaching students in their own language, providing web content in the local language? How should you best respond to inquiries from international students, and what is the expected turnaround time from an inquiry to an admission?Using Hotcourses 10 years experience of providing content online to international students, these, and other issues are covered using independent, non-promotional information. A similarly themed and research based presentation was made at last year’s NAFSA regional conference in Jacksonville and was very well received/rated.
Chair/Presenter: Mike Elms, CEO and Founder, Hotcourses Inc.
Higher Education in Latin America and Specialization Programs: Professional vs. Academic? (RAP)
This presentation compares the educational systems of Latin American countries with a focus on higher education andpost-graduate “specialization” qualifications. Presenters explain common educational structures throughout LatinAmerica as well as the differences between the academic and professional “specialization” programs in such countriesas Brazil, Colombia, Mexico and Venezuela. This session will help provide the tools necessary to determine when therecommendation of academic credit is warranted for these programs. Samples of academic records will be reviewed.
Chair: Amy Santiago, Senior Evaluator, International Education Research Foundation, Inc.
Presenter: Irene Romo, Evaluator, International Education Research Foundation, Inc.
Secondary Education in Scandinavia: Denmark, Norway, Sweden (RAP)
Education in Europe is currently undergoing many changes. Scandinavia has often been at the forefront of these changes. In this session, participants are introduced to the various types of secondary-school curriculum and leaving-certificates (vocational, academic, and the varied streams within each) currently available to students in Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Grading scales are shown. Participants have an opportunity to look and discuss resources available.
Chair: Katrina Anaya, Graduate Assistant, Coordinator for International Student Life, Seattle University
Presenter: LesLee Clauson, Northwest Regional Director, AACRAO International Education Services
West African Secondary Education (RAP)
A look inside the workings of the West African secondary education systems, including the West African Examination Council (WAEC). This presentation will include an overview of the WAEC as well as an individual look at the five countries (The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone) that are members and how their education systems function. Helpful examples using sample documents will help the participants better understand how to review the credentials, and the grading scales, as well as how to assess which credentials determine completion of secondary education versus eligibility into higher education. Further resources such as contact information and how to verify results will also be provided.
Chair: Séverine Immesoete, Credentials Evaluator, FIS
Presenter: Kirstin van Gend, Credentials Evaluator, FIS
Update on Higher Education in France (RAP)
A thorough review of the French higher educational system especially in regards to how institutions have gradually adapted to the Bologna process (adjustment of academic calendars and programs, implementation of ECTS, credential naming conventions). Sample documents illustrating the credentials' new formats will be included. We will also compare the pre-Bologna and post-Bologna reform systems offered by traditional state universities as well as private institutions of higher education such as the Grandes Ecoles.